Jamshedpur : Following shutting down of iron-ore mining at Noamundi, the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) too has stopped mining operations at its Jaduguda uranium mines.
UCIL, the sole uranium miner and processor in the country, operated seven mines across 1 313 acres, along with two processing units for mined uranium and its subsequent conversion into �yellow cake� of about 74% uranium content, for supply to nuclear power plants across the country. The seven mines included Jadugora, Bhatin, Turamdih, Bagjata, Narwapahar, Banduhurang and Mahuldi, all in Jharkhand.
UCIL stopped mining activities following a state government directive which was taken in light of recent amendments in the Mineral Concession Rules – 1960 ,forbidding mining under deemed extension.
UCIL first got the mining lease at Jadugora uranium mines in 1967 for 20 years and subsequently the licence was renewed (described as first renewal) in 1987 for another 20 years that expired in 2007. Since then, the company has been carrying out mining in the area under deemed extension.
The district mining officer, Ratnesh Sinha, vide a state government notification in this regard, served a letter to the UCIL management on Saturday evening asking the latter to stop mining operations at the Jadugora mines. Since Sunday is an official holiday at UCIL, which functions under the Department of Atomic Energy, the closure at the mines and the uranium processing plant was implemented.
The company spokesperson went on to say that they are making efforts to ensure that the mines re-opens as early as possible. He however, refrained from disclosing about the losses to be incurred by the company due to the closure of mining operations.
The Jadugora mines is one of the oldest and deepest uranium mines spread in 1,312 acres . It is 905 metres deep. The mines produces 850 metric tonnes of uranium ore per day.
In a statement UCIL chairman D Acharya said that the closure of the Jaduguda mines would have a huge impact on the corporation, as Jaduguda had the best grade, and other properties, among all UCIL�s mines in the country.
Though the estimates of the new deposits had not been disclosed, officials in UCIL said that, as the new reserves were located in close proximity to its existing Jadugora and Marwpahar mines, the corporation would be able to extend the life of the latter mines by five to six years if new developmental projects could be implemented.
